Means for automatically lubricating car journal-boxes.



0. M. PASKINS.

MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY LUBRICATING CAR JOURNAL BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15' I91]- QLQL, Patented Nov. 20,1912

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

J filR. BKGKE TRmN PIPE I fi K RESERVO\R OILTHNK 4 24 I 1 a 4 43 5'? 13%039 21 a5 25 \4 MR RESERVOIR avvuemtoz OTTO M. Ffismws 0. M. PASKINS.

MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY LUBRICAIING GAR JOURNAL BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16. I917.

Patented Nov. 20, 191K.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INK. RESERVOIR.

Sn-ucmtoz O-rro M- aswws OTTO M. SPASKINS, F DIATTOON, ILLINOIS.

MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY LUBRICATING CAR JOURNAL-BOXES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 20 191%.

Application filed May 16, 1917. Serial No. 169,007.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, O'r'ro M. PAsKINs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mattoon, in the county of Coles and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Automatically Lubricating Car Journal-Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to the art of lubrication, and particularly to means for lubricating the journal boxes of railway cars.

The general object of the invention is to provide means for automatically lubricating car journal boxes and to provide a construction by which lubricant may be forced into the car journal boXes whenever desired by the engineer of the train.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction of this character which is set into operation by the actuation of the en'gineers brake valve of the locomotive.

And a further object is to provide a construction of this character in which the oil or other lubricant is forced into the journal boxes of the car from a main reservoir by air pressure contained in an air reservoir,

this reservoir pressure being rendered oper ittive by a reduction in pressure in the train A further object of the invention is to provide a pressure operated valve for controlling the flow of lubricant to the journal boxes, this valve being controlled by reduction or increase of pressure in the train line, this reduction or increase in pressure in turn being controlled by the engineer, through his brake valve.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of my improved lubricating system, the controlling valve thereof being shown in its normal position;

Fig. 2 is alike view to Fig. 1, but showing the controlling valve shifted to its second position to cut off the communication between the lubricant chamber and the lubricant containing tank, this view also showing one of the ducts 29 connected to a car axle;

Fig. 3 is a like view to Figs. 1 and 2, but

showing the final position of the valve, whereby the air reservoir is connected to the lubricant containing chamber to force the lubricant out therefrom;

Fig. 4. is an enlarged view of a portion of the valve casing 14 and the valve casing 40.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the valve 22 and its casing.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the body of a car, and 10 the train line extending under the cars of the train, in the usual manner, the pressure in which is controlled by the engineers brake valve. This brake Valve is not illustrated, as its construction is well known and requires no description or illustration. By properly manipulating the engineers brake valve, of course, the pressure on the train line may be re duced to make the usual service reduction or an emergency reduction, etc. Mounted beneath the car and, for instance, attached to the sills thereof, is an oil tank 11, which is preferably disposed adjacent the side of the car so that the filling tube 12 may be so disposed that the oil tank may be readily filled. Extending from the train line is a main air pipe 13 and extending from this main air pipe 13 is an air pipe 13, which leads into the upper portion of the reservoir 11, so that the oil in this reservoir may be subjected to air pressure, that is the air pressure which is normally maintained within the train line and the pipe 13.

Mounted beneath the car and supported in any suitable manner is a valve casing 14, which is closed at one end and at the. other has an opening 15 leading into a chamber 16. This chamber in turn opens into an air chamber 17 of larger capacity than the cylinder 16. A bypass 18 connects the cylinder 16 with the chamber 17 and this bypass opens into the cylinder 16 by means of a small port 19. Operating Within the cylinder 16 is a piston, as will be later described. The valve casing 14 is formed with a port 20 into which a branch pipe 13 from the air pipe 13 extends. A branch pipe 13 of the pipe 13 opens into a small valve casing 21 in which is disposed a valve 22 and this valve casing 21 opens into the cylinder 16 by'means of a port 23. Thedetailed construction of the valve casing 21 and of the valve 22 is illustrated in Fig. 4 and will be later described.

Leading from the oil tank 11. is an oil supply pipe 24, which extends down to the casing 14 and which opens into the casing by mean of a port 25. Forming part of the valve casing 14 is a body 26 having a cup-shaped chamber 27 adjacent its upper end and having a plurality of ducts 28 extending from the cup 27. There are eight or twelve ducts 28 leading from the cup shaped chamber 27 (but only four are shown) and connected by flexible pipes 29 to the respective journal boxes of the car. A valve 30 controls the passage through these ducts 28 in a manner, which will belater stated. Opening from the chamber 27 into the valve chamber 14 is a port 31 which is in alinement with the port 25 and also leading from the chamber 27 is a port 32.

Attached to the valve chamber 14 or connected thereto in any suitable manner is an air reservoir 33, which has a port 34 in alinement with the port 20. The air reservoir 33 also has a port 35 and disposed in alinement with this port 35 but on the opposite side of theair chamber is a port 36 from which a pipe 37 leads, this pipe extending into the valve chamber 14 at the port 38, this port 38 being in alinement with the port 32. These ports 35, 36, the pipe 37 and the ports 32 and 38 provide means whereby air may be carried from the air reservoir 33 into the chamber 27 to force air therein upon the operation of a valve operating within the chamber 14 as will be later stated.

Extending from the cylinder 16"i a pipe 39 and this pipe opensinto a valve cham- Disposed wlthin the cylinder 16 is a piston 44 from which extends a stem 45 extending through the opening 15 into the valve chambei 14 and connected to'this stem and operating within the valve chamber. 14

. is a slide valve 46. This slide valve46 i provided with two transversely extending ports or ducts 47 and 48, which are. so spaced that when the valve is in its outermost position, these ducts 47 and 48 will aline respectively with the ports 25 and 31 and the ports 20 and 34, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1. When the slide valve 46' is forced inward, however, into the casing 14.'the duct or port 48 will aline with the ports 36 and 35 and the duct 47 will'aline through the ducts when the valve is in anescape.

other position. As a means for operating the valve 30, I have shown a lever 50, which is connected at one end to the slide valve 46 and at the other end is operatively connected to the valve 30. Thus when the slide valve 46 moves inward, the valve 30 will move outward and the ports 49 will be brought into alinement with the ducts 28 and when the slide valve 46 is outward the slide 30 will close or cut ofl passage through the ducts 28. j

The valve casing 21 is formed with a port 51, which leads to the cylinder 16 and with a port 52 connected to the pipe 13K. The exterior of the valve casing is 'formedwith a port 53 leading to the outer air. Disposed within the valve casing is the valve 22 which has a relatively small port 23 extending entirely through it and affording communication between one side of the valve and the other side thereof and the valve is also provided with a large port or duct 54 which is adapted to register with the port 53 and thus connect the chamber 16 with the port 53 when the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 3. The spring 55 acts to force the valve 22 into the position shown in Fig. 5.

The normal position of the ports i illustrated in Fig. 1. Under these circumstances, the valve 46 is shifted outward so that the duct 48 establishes communication between the air reservoir 33 and the pipe 13 and train line so that the pressure in the train line will be the same as that in the reservoir 33. The duct 47 registers with the ports 25 and 31 so that communication is established between the oil tank 11 andthe oil chamber 27, the oil being forced downward into this chamber by'the pressure on the top of-the oil passing from the pipe 13 through the pipe 13 to the reservoir 11... The air pressure in thepipe 13 also passes through the ports 23 and 51 into the cylinder 16, thus holding the piston 44 in its outward position, as in Fig. 1. This air pressure also pass 18. The pressure in the chamber 16 is also transmitted by the pipe 39 to the outer face of the piston valve 41 which causes the piston valve to be projected into the valve chamber 14, thus locking the slide valve 46 from any inward movement. Inasmuch as the slide valve 46 is in its outermost position, it is obvious that the slide valve 30 will close the ducts 28 so that no oil can Now when it is desired to lubricate the journal boxes, the engineer of the train reduces the pressure in the train line about 5 or 10 pounds by means of the engineers valve. This reduction is just enough to draw the brakes to avoid the braking shoes. This reduction, of course, reduces the pressure in the cylinder 16 but inasmuch as the .passes into. the chamber 17 through the bybypass 18 is ,relatively small, there would not be an immediate reduction in the chamber 17. Therefore, the pressure in the chamber 17 Would be greater than that in the cylinder 16 and the piston 44 would move inward carrying with it the valve 46. The movement of the piston 44 and the valve 46 is just suflicient to close the port 19 and close the ports 25, and 20, the inward movement of the slide valve 46 and piston 44 being stopped by the latch 43, the piston 44 closing the port 19. The latch prevents any further movement of the valve at this time. It will now be seen that the pipe 13 is cut off from communication with the air reservoir and the oil tank 11 is cut 01f from communication with the oil chamber 27. The engineer now shifts his brake valve handle into emergency position which reduces the pressure inthe train line to almost nothing and, 0f,course, also reduces the pressure in the pipe 13 and the branches 13 and 13*. This reduces the pressure in the valve chamber 21 relative to the pressure in the cylinder 16 and the pressure in the cylinder 16 causes the valve 22 to move forward and open the port 53. This port 53 is large enough to almost immediately reduce the pressure in the cylinder 16. The reduction of pressure in the cylinder 16 causes an immediate reduction of pressure in the pipe 39 so that the pressure on the outer face of the piston 41 is reduced relative to the pressure on the inner face of the piston. This forces the piston 41 upward and compresses the spring 41 behind the piston 41. This movement of the piston 41' carries the latch 43 inward out of the path of movement of the valve 46 and immediately the pressure in the valve 17 acts upon the piston 44 to force the valve 46 fully inward. This inward movement of the valve 46, as illustrated in Fig. 3, disposes the duct 48 in alinement with the ports 36 and 35 and the duct 47 in alinement with the ports 31 and 38 and thus communication is established between the air reservoir 33 and the chamber 27, which causes the oil or other lubricant in the chamber 27 to be forced out through the ducts 28, and the inward movement of the valve 46 causing the shifting of the valve 30 and the opening of said ducts 28. The 011 is now forced out of the cup-shaped chamber 27 to the journal boxes. Having lubricated the journal boxes, the engineer puts his automatic brake valve handle back to running position, thus shifting the parts back to the position initially described and again establishing communication between the oil chamber 27 and the oil tank, establishing communication between the train line and the air reservoir 33, forcing back the valve 22, increasing the pressure in the chamber 16, forcing back the piston 44 and again establishing communication between the cylinder 16 and the chamber 17, thus equalizing the pressure in the cylinder and chamber.

It will be seen that a construction of this kind is operated in connection with the air brake system ordinarily found on all trains, that it gives the engineer complete control over the lubricant of the journals, that it is entirely automatic in its action and that it is no more likely to get out of order than is the ordinary air brake system. This construction does away with the necessity of filling the journal boxes with oil at stations along the route and also does away with the danger of hot boxes due to a lack of oil as the engineer from time to time can lubri cate the journals, when the train is stationary.

It will be understood that the five or ten pound reduction of air in the train pipe, which is used in order to shift the valve from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2 makes a service application of the brakes and this will, of course, throw the slide valve in the triple valve which prevents the brakes from going into an emergency application. It is not, of course, desirable that the brakes should go into emergency and it is for this reason that I have provided the latch 43 with the air chamber 40 and the piston 41. This gives the engineer control over the brake system and over the oiling system separately. A service application of the brakes means a relatively slow reduction of air pressure, while an emergency reduction means a quick reduction in the air pressure in the train line. The engineer cannot oil his train at any time while the train is in motion.

The springs 41* and 55 are designed to hold the valves 41 and 22 in position while the device is not in operation and hold these valves in their position when a service ap plication of the brakes is made, that is, when there is a slow and relatively small reduction of air pressure in the train line. A quick reduct1on of air pressure in the valve chamber 21, due to an emergency reduction inder 16 to escape to the atmosphere. The

opening of the port 53 by valve 22 causes a quick reduction of air in the pipe 39 and, therefore, a quick reduction in the upper part of the chamber 40, so that the spring 41 is compressed by the inward movement of the piston 41 and this inward movement of the piston 41 carries the stem 43 out of its latching position and permits the valve 46 t0 act.

It will be understood that in the drawings I have shown the valve mechanism, the lubricant tank 11 and the other parts of this lubricating system diagrammatically and by this I mean that I have not shown the parts as they would be relatively proportioned nor have I shown the parts as they would be actually arranged on a car body inasmuch as this arrangement .is'not at all vital and may be changed.

In actual practice the air reservoir 33 would have a capacity of about two gallons or less. The chamber'27 would be just large enough to cause all of the ducts .28 to be fed properly and this chamber 27 need not be large as the oil ducts 28 are intended to hold about one gill of oil to each duct, this being enough oil, properly applied, to lubricate each journal box for a one hundred mile trip. The cylinder 16 would have a capacity of about one pint and the chamber 17 should be about one-third larger than the chamber 16. The oil tank 11 would, of course, be made of any desired capacity and the equipment would be placed anywhere upon the car body that would be suitable.

I haveillustrated in Fig. 2 a connection to one of the journal boxes, but it will be,

'of' course, obvious that 'I do not wish to limit myself to the construction illustrated in \Fig. 2 and that the connection to the journal box might be made in many ways. I have illustrated, however, a nipple 56 extending from the journal box 57 this nipple being connected to an elbow 58 in turn connected to a flexible pipe 59, this pipe being in turn connected to a longitudinally extending middle pipe 60. which at its end is o-peratively connected to the flexible pipes 29. The flexible pipes 29 and 59 permit the trucks to move under the car without injuring the piping.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1 1. In a vehicle having journal boxes and an air brake train line, means controlled by a decrease of pressure in the train line for -forcing lubricant under pressure to said journal boxes.

2.. In a lubricating system of the character described, a pipe line normally containing air under a predetermined pressure, a lubricant containing chamber connected to asource of fluid under pressure, an outlet valve controlling passage from the lubricant chamber to the parts to be lubricated, and means controlled by a decrease of pressure in the pipe line admitting the fluid under pressure to the liquid containing chamber and simultaneously opening the outlet valve or 'disestablishing communication between the fluid under pressure and the lubricant containing chamber, and closing the outlet valve. I i

3. In a lubricating system, 'a lubricant containing chamber, a. source of motive fluid under controlled, variable pressure, 'a' valve lubricant containing chamber,

controlling outlet from the chamber to the parts to be lubricated, a valve for admitting the fluid under pressure to the lubricant containing chamber, said valve being operatively connected to the first named valve to cause the simultaneous closing or opening of said valves, and means acted upon by a reduction of pressure of the motive fluid causing. the shifting of said "valves to an open position.

4. In a lubricating system, a pipe containliquid under pressure and simultaneously closing said valve.

5. In a lubricating system, a pipe line normally containing air under predetermined controlled,.variable pressure, a lubricant containing chamber, valve controlled ducts leading to the parts to be lubricated, a reservoir for compressed air, and means controlled by a decrease in pressure in the pipe line for" connecting said chamber with the reservoir and simultaneously opening the valve to said ducts to permit the escape of lubricant from the said chamber.

6. In va lubricating system, a lubricant containing chamber, ducts leading therefrom to the parts to be lubricated, an outlet valve controlling passage to said ducts, a compressed air reservoir, a valve controlling the passage of air from the reservoir to the lubricant containing chamber, a pipe line containing air under controlled, variable pressure, pressure in the pipe lme for shifting the last named valve to an open position, and means for simultaneously shifting the first named valve to its open position when the second named valve is shifted to open position, said operating means being shifted to a position to close said valves upon a predetermined increase of pressure in the pipe me. i

7. In a lubricating system, a lubricant containing chamber, ducts leading therefrom to the arts to be lubricated, an outlet valve controlling passage to said ducts, a compressed air I servoir, a valve controlling the passage of air from the reservoir to the a pipe line containing air' under controlled, variable pressure, means for shifting said valve to an open position upon a decrease of pressure in the pipe line and for shifting said valves to a closed position upon an increase of pressure in the train line, said means means acted upon by a decrease of establishing communication between the pipe line and said air reservoir when the second named valve is shifted to a position cutting off the passage of air from the air 1igescrvoir to the lubricant containing chamer. a

8. In a vehicle, an air brake train line, containing air under controlled variable pressure, a compressed air reservoir, a lubricant containing chamber, means operated by decreased pressure in the train line acting to establish communication between the compressed air reservoir and the lubricant containing chamber to force lubricant out therefrom and upon a predetermined increase in the train line pressure acting to cut off communication between the com' pressed air reservoir and the lubricant containing chamber.

9. In a lubricating system, alubricant containing chamber having ducts leading to the parts to be lubricated, an outlet valve controlling passage through said ducts, an air reservoir, a lubricant reservoir, a valve in one position cutting off communication between the air reservoir and the lubricant containing chamber but establishing communication between the lubricant reservoir and the lubricant containing chamber and in another position establishing communication between the air reservoir and the lubricant containing chamber and cutting ofi communication between the air reservoir and the said chamber, manually controlled means for shifting said valve, and means connecting the outlet valve to the second named valve to cause the opening of the outlet valve when the second named valve is in a position connecting the air reservoir with the lubricant containing chamber.

10. In a lubricant containing system, a lubricant containing chamber having outlet ducts, a valve controlling passage through said ducts, an air reservoir, a lubricant reservoir, a pipe line connected to a source of air under controlled, variable pres sure, and a valve in one position connecting the lubricant chamber with the lubricant reservoir and connecting the air reservoir with the pipe line and in the second position connecting the air reservoir with the lubricant containing chamber and disconnecting the lubricant reservoir from the lubricant chamber, said valve being shiftable by changes of pressure in the pipe line, and means operatively connecting the second named valve with the first named valve to cause the opening of the ducts when the second named valve is in its second named position. i

11. In a vehicle, a train line pipe forming part of an air brake system, and containing air under controlled, variable pressure, an air reservoir mounted upon the vehicle,a lubricant containing chamber mountlubricant reservoir and the lubricant cham-' ber, means acting upon a reduction of pressure in the train line pipe to shift the last named valve to its second named position and upon anincrease of pressure in the train line pipeto shift the valve to its first named position, and means for shifting the first named valve to its open position when the second named valve is shifted to a position connecting the air reservoir with the lubricant containing chamber.

12. In a lubricant system for railway trains, a train line pipe forming part of an air brake system, and containing air under controlled, variable pressure, a lubricant containing chamber having an outlet leading to the part to be lubricated, an outlet valve controlling said outlet, an air reservoir and a lubricant reservoir, the upper portion of which is connected to the train line, a pressure operated valve in one position connecting the air reservoir with the train line pipe and the lubricant reservoir with the lubricant chamber, and in another position connecting the air reservoir with the lubricant chamber and cutting off communication between the lubricant reservoir and said chamber, means controlled by the pressure in the train line pipe for automatically shifting said pressure operated valve to its second named position when the pressure in said train line pipe is reduced, and means for shifting the outlet valve to its open position when the second named valve is shifted to a position to connect the air reservoir with the lubricant containing chamber.

13. In a vehicle having an air brake system including a train line pipe containing air under variably controlled pressure, a lubricant containing chamber having an outlet, a valve controlling said outlet, an air reservoir, a lubricant reservoir, a pressure operated valve in one position establishing communication between the air reservoir and the train line pipe and between the lubricant reservoir and said chamber and in another position cutting off communication between the train line pipe and the air reservoir and between the lubricant reservoir and the lubricant chamber and establishing further reduction of pressure in the train line pipe actin to release said preventing means and to s ift the valve to its full second named position and upon an increase of pressure in said pipe line acting to shift the valve to its first named position, and means for shifting the outlet valve in correspondence with the second named valve to open said outlet when the second named valve is in its second named position.

14. In a vehicle, an air brake system including a train line pipe contalning air under controlled, variable pressure, a lubricant containing chamber having a duct leading therefrom to the part to be lubricated, a valve controlling the outlet from the duct, an air reservoir, a lubricant reservoir, a valve intone position operatively connecting the air reservoir to the train line pipe and the lubricant reservoir to the lubricant chamber, in a second position cutting of]? communication between the train line pipe and the air reservoir and between the lubricant reservoir and the lubricant chamber, and in the third position establishing communication between the air reservoir and the lubricant chamber, means operated by a reduction of pressure in the train line pipe for shifting said valve toward its second and third named positions, shiftable means acting to limit the movement of the valve to its second named position upon an initial reduction of pressure in the train line pipe, said means being shiftable out of the path of the valve upon a further reduction of pressure in the train line pipe, means causing a movement of the second named valve to its first named position upon an increase of pressure in the train line pipe, and means for causing a movement of the outlet valve to its outlet position when the second named valve is shifted to a position to connect the air reservoir with the lubricant containing chamber and shift the outlet valve to a closed position when the second named valve is shifted to its first named position.

15. In a vehicle having an air brake sys 'tem including a train line pipe containing air under controlled, variable pressure, a

duct, an air reservoir, a lubricant reservoir having its upper portion operatively connected to the train line pipe, a cylinder, a

pressure operated member therein, a valve connected to said pressure operated member in one position establishing communication between the air reservoir and the train line pipe and between the lubricant reservoir and the lubricant containing chamber, a second position cutting off communication between the air reservoir and the train line pipe and the oil reservoir for the lubricant containing chamber and in the third position establishing communication between the air reservoir and the lubricant containing chamber, said valve being operatively connected to the outlet valve so that when it is in its third named position, it will cause the opening of the valve and when in its first named position will cause the closing of the valve, a pressure operated latch limiting the movement of the second named valve .to its second namedposition, said latch including a chamber, a piston moving therein, the chamber being connected to the cylinder whereby a reduction of pressurein the cylinder will cause the retraction of the latch, a chamber connected to the/outer end of the cylinder and having a bypass extending around the pressure operated member in said cylinder, the bypass being closed by an inward movement of said member, a connection between the train line pipeand the cylinder including a valve casing having an outlet port and a pressure operated valve in said valve casing normally disposed to establish communication between the train line pipe and the cylinder, and operable upon a reduction of pressure in the train line pipe to close communication between the cylinder and the train line pipe to thereby unbalance the pressure operative member and permit it to be moved inward by the excess of pressure in the chamber communicating with the cylinder, said valve at the same time connecting said cylinder with the outlet port of the casing.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

J orTo M. PASKINS. Witnesses I'IARRY I; HUMOT, THOMAS M. FIGENBAUM. 

